Why Has FOX Covered Up Police Brutality Against a Mexican?

Is it possible that the FOX NEWS editorial line to snuggle up to hard-core anti-immigration promoters is tainting their coverage of the news? According to almost every person on FOX, there is NO police brutality against Latinos. It is a myth promoted by the extreme far right. It is no wonder that a FOX affiliate would refuse to air anything that would taint the flagship’s story-line.

Drudge has the headline:

There is a firestorm in Seattle. It seems a group of cops harass a young Mexican man, kick him in the head, and let him go after they realize he is not their suspect.

That is bad enough.

Evidently a FOX affiliate in Seattle edited the footage of a police arrest following a nasty local crime.. The FOX affiliate told the freelance reporter, Jud Morris, that it would NOT go on the air. The question is why? When they REFUSED to air the video, he shopped it around and put it on Youtube. There are a tremendous number of legal questions about the whole affair. BUT …

Why would a FOX affiliate hide such a damning story? According to a local blog:

“...“I was told flat out… that this video will not go to air—we will not air it,” Morris says. “They said it is not that egregious. Those were the exact words.”

Morris believes Q-13 rejected the footage because the station has strong ties to the SPD and law enforcement throughout the state, such as airing a show called Washington’s Most Wanted, which profiles fugitives in the state.

“I said I know about our relationship with the police because of Washington’s Most Wanted, but it’s time to get out of bed,” Morris says. Airing the video on Q-13 “would affect their relationship with the police. KCPQ’s top concern is their relationship with the police. … Because of their relationship with police, they are in a position where they get scoops and stories that nobody else gets. They work so closely on that all the time. They are just not willing to let that go, even if it means not reporting real news.”…”

The story line was that the video was suppressed to protect the cops. The Pink Flamingo has another question: Was the video edited because of the FOX News editorial view that there is NO HARASSMENT OF MEXICANS in this country?

This is the footage from KIROTV. It is rather damning. For those who say there is no police brutality or racism against Mexicans, please, watch this. This is the raw, uncut footage. At 0.33 seconds into the film you can hear the racial slur and the profanity. At 0.53 you can see where the cop kicked the guy in the head.

The real question is why did the FOX affiliate edit the footage? Then one might ask just what else FOX NEWS is covering up in the way of violence against Latinos and police harassment against Latinos. If FOX were to feature stories that counter their darling line-up of O’Reilly (who never met a Mexican he ever liked) Beck, Hannity (deport ’em all) and the constant adulation of Sheriff Joe, then, well, it would make their anti-immigration people look bad.

Though Morris said the station did not discuss in detail why staff wouldn’t run the footage, he believes it was influenced by “Washington’s Most Wanted,” a weekly show that details fugitives and highlights police work. He called the show “their moneymaker.”

Seattlepi.com has partnered with “Washington’s Most Wanted” to feature cold case and other segments on the Seattle 911 blog.

News Director Steve Kraycik, who calls were referred to Friday night, and managing editor Erica Hill did not return calls for comment late Friday.

Morris said that after Q13 Fox did not immediately air the footage, a producer suggested he put it on YouTube. It was posted to the site April 20 or 21.

After the video was posted on YouTube, Morris said he was contacted by someone from the Seattle Police Office of Professional Accountability. He also worked out a deal to sell the footage to KIRO/7.

“This past Monday, I got a call saying ‘We heard you put this up on YouTube. Don’t bother coming in tonight,” said Morris, adding he typically worked for Q13 Fox from roughly 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. “I was in my own truck, on my own time, with my own camera.”

The night of the incident, Morris said he was trying to keep his overtime hours down.

Q13 Fox staff was alerted to the YouTube posting by Seattle police, according to KIRO/7 staff, who paid for the content. The video was pulled from YouTube after the deal was made with KIRO/7.

Q13’s Managing Editor, Erica Hill, implied to seattlepi.com Friday morning that her station has exclusive rights to the video. The station posted a more than six-minute version on their Web site Friday morning.

Morris, who said he normally gets $100 to $150 for footage, said he plans to bill Q13 and other news stations for running the video.

“It’s a little overwhelming,” he said of the reaction Friday. “This is what I got in the news business for — to bring the truth out. Honestly, in a little over a year in this business I didn’t think to get the biggest story Seattle’s seen in a while.”…”

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SJ Reidhead (aka The Pink Flamingo) is a writer based in New Mexico. The author of two published novels, both westerns: Dust Devil and The Second Mrs. Earp and two published works of non-fictions: TRAVESTY: Frank Waters Earp Agenda Exposed and A Church for Helldorado, Endicott Peabody's 1882 Tombstone Diary. One of the leading authorities on the life of Wyatt Earp and Tombstone during the Earp years, she is currently writing a series of murder mysteries set in modern day Tombstone. The author is also working on a book about fashion in the Wild West. When complete, there will be over 2100 unpublished antique photographs dating from 1855-1910.

The author's work has appeared in Wild West, True West, Blogcritics, and The Tombstone Times. Recently the author has had to deal with a father who succumbed to Alzheimer's Disease. This is leading to a book dealing with the frustrations of dealing with the frustrations of the disease, finance, legal, health-care, and things no one bothers telling families about it. She is currently working on a murder mystery series set in modern day Tombstone and Cochise County. Several books of essays on Christian living are currently in edits. A book of essays and revisions of articles about Wyatt Earp has been completed and will include her latest work detailing her theory about the murder of his second wife, Mattie.

SJ Reidhead has been involved in Republican politics since she was 'a little kid'. During the Reagan years she was a lobbyist working with various non-profit organizations who were attempting to salvage NASA and the American space program after the disastrous Carter years. In spite of ups and downs, and numerous disappointments, politically, it is obvious the only political hope for this country is via the Republican Party. Along with politics she is an opera fanatic, has been known to stalk baritones to the point of being a baritone junkie, and loves baseball.

The Pink Flamingo went on line on October 4, 2005.

THE PINK FLAMINGO STORY

It started out as a joke. During the seven years I worked with the girls of my parish, leading a youth group, one of the things that I stressed were manners. Part of having manners, the way I see it, is to know how to set a proper table, host a party, cater it, and clean up afterward. I was fortunate enough to have a group of very talented girls in my youth group. They learned how to plan for, and execute large church functions, very properly. During one such function I noticed there were several incredibly tacky pink flamingos sitting on the table. Knowing the girls were up to something, I said nothing. A few months later they did the same thing at a function I was hosting at my home. I said nothing. They had a birthday party for me. More pink flamingos appeared - and a joke was born.

Thanks to the girls, all of whom are now grown, I have a collection of pink flamingos. It has become an ongoing joke. When I began working on my political blog, I realized the only possibly title was The Pink Flamingo!